Car/Vehicle Shipping Cost from Yokohama to Oakland, California

Budget: The shorter the distance, the more cost-effective it is to drive instead of ship your car. Regardless of the total distance, look at your total moving budget and how much you can afford to spend on car shipping services compared to a cross-country drive.

Three years after purchase, every new car has to go through an expensive inspection process, and once every two years after that. Furthermore, vehicles older than 10 years have to pass the inspection every year. As a result, most car owners in Japan write off their cars after 10 years and buy new ones.

Shipping a car from Japan to the USA typically takes 8 to 10 weeks in total, but the actual sea voyage is shorter (2.5 weeks to West Coast, longer to East Coast), with the overall timeline including prep, waiting for vessels, paperwork, customs, and delivery. Expect delays from weather, vessel availability, and customs, making 2-3 months a realistic timeframe from purchase to arrival.